Presently, telecommunications service providers are operating networks that support a significant number of subscribers. A considerable number of these network subscribers may be classified as legacy subscribers, i.e., subscribers that utilize legacy telecommunications equipment, such as PSTN phones or other similar non-Internet protocol (IP) phones. Because such a significant portion of the service provider's customer base includes legacy subscribers, service providers realize the benefits of providing advanced subscriber services (e.g., call forwarding service, find me/follow me service, voice mail, anonymous call rejection, etc.) to legacy users.
However, present day networks that are capable of handling 2G/PSTN calls cannot host advanced end-user type services to subscribers utilizing legacy equipment without requiring a subscriber to use an IP phone or installing extra network equipment on the subscriber side. Alternatively, a network provider could provide advanced network services to legacy subscribers by installing trigger-based network elements near the border of the network which generate Signaling System 7 (SS7) transaction capabilities application part (TCAP) or mobile application part (MAP) queries that then require SS7-NGN interworking processing, but this plan of action would be extremely cost prohibitive considering the number of network elements that would have to be replaced as such Intelligent Network (IN) service triggers are expensive for carriers to implement.
Accordingly, there exists a need for improved methods, systems, and computer readable media for providing NGN-based services to legacy subscribers in a communications network.